Gabriela, a resident of Guayaquil, Ecuador, intended to take her daughter on a vacation to Disney World in Florida. However, this trip transformed into an escape from escalating violence and threats emanating from gang activities in her home country. Gabriela described her former life as stable and middle-class, where she worked at a television channel for 15 years and provided her daughter with a private education.
Rising crime in Ecuador, particularly related to gangs competing for cocaine trafficking routes, led her to initially dismiss extortions as issues affecting only the wealthy. However, a threatening phone call targeting her life changed her perspective. Around the same time, her daughter’s grandfather was kidnapped, and the family’s subsequent demands for ransom culminated in his murder, heightening Gabriela’s fears for her family’s safety.
Her partner encouraged her to take their daughter on the planned trip and not return. Gabriela now finds herself one of many in the U.S. with pending asylum claims, as violence from cartels in Latin America has increased their reasons for fleeing. However, legal experts note that asylum requests linked to cartel violence encounter significant hurdles under U.S. law. Current asylum laws focus on persecution based on specific categories that do not neatly fit the nature of cartel violence, making legal representation essential.
The Trump administration’s precedents have complicated asylum claims from domestic violence and gang-related violence. Potential applicants may struggle to provide evidence connecting their experiences to the persecution categories required. Gabriela aims to claim political asylum based on the corruption and complicity of law enforcement in Ecuador, emphasizing the systemic failures to offer protection.
Similar stories emerge from others like Maria, a victim of gang extortion, and Luis, whose friends faced violence for refusing to pay. Both fled to the U.S. and now navigate daunting asylum backlogs. Amid legislative changes and societal divides, individuals escaping cartel violence argue for recognition of their circumstances and seek legal pathways to safety in the U.S.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg4kd385e4o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss